Published: Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 7:12 p.m.

Retired Army Staff Sgt. David Wallace says wherever he goes, he can spot his fellow service members. He said it is something in the way they carry themselves – they stand out in a crowd.

Retired Air Force Col. Bob Newman attributes the inherent ability to recognize one another as a part of the military brotherhood.

Although more than half a century separates Wallace and Newman in age, it is evident in the dignity and honor they carry in their strong shoulders and the pain and heartache of war that reflects in their crystal blue eyes, they would call each other “brothers in arms.”

In 1942, the United States was fighting World War II and Robert C. Newman felt called to serve his country, so he enlisted in the Army. He had been working in Washington as a file clerk for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Seeing that the war was not going well for the United States, Newman felt it was his civic duty to fight for his country.

After being accepted as an aviation cadet, Newman completed his pilot training and was assigned to a combat mission in Europe in December 1944. He flew 25 combat missions before the war ended in May 1945. He was promoted to captain at 20 years old.

After the war, Newman flew for KLM Airlines for a year before enrolling in June 1946 at Lynchburg College, where he met his future wife, Jo. They were married just six months later. Shortly after their marriage, in August 1946, Newman became a regular commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force.

During the next few years, Newman earned his bachelor degree at the University of Maryland and became a father for the first time before being stationed in Spokane, Wash.

In 1950, Newman was assigned to Japan as the Korean War began. Jo was expecting their second child.

“During World War II, as a 19-year-old, I felt that nothing could happen to me. It was pure luck – nothing to do with skill,” Newman said. “But during Korea, I had a wife and two children. This wasn’t fun – this was an assignment.”

Based in Japan, Newman flew patrol and rescue missions into Korea for three years during the war, picking up servicemen who had bailed out of their airplanes over land or water.

Then with three children, two girls and a boy, the Newman family returned from Japan and was stationed in Washington, D.C.

Newman was assigned to Air Rescue Headquarters to work as an inspector for a year before getting orders to relocate to Clemson, S.C., to work as an Air Force instructor of “air science” at Clemson College (now Clemson University).

In 1957, Newman was selected to attend the Naval War College Command and Staff Course in Newport, R.I. Newman attended the college with distinguished students like Alan Shepard, who became the first American in space.

“Al Shepard was a typical World War II fighter pilot,” Newman said. “He owned a new Corvette and by the end of the year had accumulated quite a collection of speeding tickets.”

After graduation, Newman received orders assigning him to the Headquarters Airways and Air Communications at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. He was stationed there for three years.

He left Scott Air Force Base for Japan in the spring of 1961. Newman flew cargo support, providing the troops with supplies in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.

“My operation was not really exposed to any real combat missions,” Newman said of his time flying during the Vietnam War. “We had air superiority, so there was no real threat of an air attack.”

After three more years in Japan, Newman was assigned to the Pentagon as a member of the Support Branch War Plans Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Newman’s job consisted mostly of briefing the chiefs on the situation in Vietnam.

In 1966, Newman was promoted to colonel. Soon after, Newman was selected to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces “to prepare us for senior positions in the Air Force,” Newman said.

After graduation in 1968, Newman became director of operations of Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, Kan.

“This was the best job in the Air Force,” Newman said. He was in charge of 36 planes and 5,000 people. “It was such a feeling of accomplishment.”

Two years later, Newman received orders to return to Vietnam to command a gunship wing. A gunship is an ammunition-laden plane with an extremely accurate sensor system.

“I finished gunship school, then the Joint Chiefs started to phase down and my orders were canceled,” Newman said.

Newman became director of operations at Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville and stayed there until he retired in 1973. In his “second career,” Newman taught JROTC at Southern Alamance High School.

Three decades of decorated service in the U.S. Armed Services, including serving in three separate wars, makes Col. Robert C. Newman Jr. an extraordinary veteran. But, according to Newman, he was just “lucky.”

Newman and his wife

often visit the troops at Camp Lejeune to thank them for their service.

“They are just as motivated as we were,” Newman said. “They are ready to go back for another tour if necessary. They are just as gung-ho.”

But Newman sees a stark difference in the wars the servicemen and women are fighting today.

“This is a war that is far different from anything that we’d ever been involved in,” Newman said. “The roadside bombs maiming and killing hundreds – it’s a no-win situation.”

<p>Retired Army Staff Sgt. David Wallace says wherever he goes, he can spot his fellow service members. He said it is something in the way they carry themselves – they stand out in a crowd.</p><p>Retired Air Force Col. Bob Newman attributes the inherent ability to recognize one another as a part of the military brotherhood.</p><p>Although more than half a century separates Wallace and Newman in age, it is evident in the dignity and honor they carry in their strong shoulders and the pain and heartache of war that reflects in their crystal blue eyes, they would call each other “brothers in arms.”</p><p>In 1942, the United States was fighting World War II and Robert C. Newman felt called to serve his country, so he enlisted in the Army. He had been working in Washington as a file clerk for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Seeing that the war was not going well for the United States, Newman felt it was his civic duty to fight for his country.</p><p>After being accepted as an aviation cadet, Newman completed his pilot training and was assigned to a combat mission in Europe in December 1944. He flew 25 combat missions before the war ended in May 1945. He was promoted to captain at 20 years old.</p><p>After the war, Newman flew for KLM Airlines for a year before enrolling in June 1946 at Lynchburg College, where he met his future wife, Jo. They were married just six months later. Shortly after their marriage, in August 1946, Newman became a regular commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force.</p><p>During the next few years, Newman earned his bachelor degree at the University of Maryland and became a father for the first time before being stationed in Spokane, Wash.</p><p>In 1950, Newman was assigned to Japan as the Korean War began. Jo was expecting their second child.</p><p>“During World War II, as a 19-year-old, I felt that nothing could happen to me. It was pure luck – nothing to do with skill,” Newman said. “But during Korea, I had a wife and two children. This wasn't fun – this was an assignment.”</p><p>Based in Japan, Newman flew patrol and rescue missions into Korea for three years during the war, picking up servicemen who had bailed out of their airplanes over land or water.</p><p>Then with three children, two girls and a boy, the Newman family returned from Japan and was stationed in Washington, D.C. </p><p>Newman was assigned to Air Rescue Headquarters to work as an inspector for a year before getting orders to relocate to Clemson, S.C., to work as an Air Force instructor of “air science” at Clemson College (now Clemson University).</p><p>In 1957, Newman was selected to attend the Naval War College Command and Staff Course in Newport, R.I. Newman attended the college with distinguished students like Alan Shepard, who became the first American in space.</p><p>“Al Shepard was a typical World War II fighter pilot,” Newman said. “He owned a new Corvette and by the end of the year had accumulated quite a collection of speeding tickets.”</p><p>After graduation, Newman received orders assigning him to the Headquarters Airways and Air Communications at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. He was stationed there for three years.</p><p>He left Scott Air Force Base for Japan in the spring of 1961. Newman flew cargo support, providing the troops with supplies in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.</p><p>“My operation was not really exposed to any real combat missions,” Newman said of his time flying during the Vietnam War. “We had air superiority, so there was no real threat of an air attack.”</p><p>After three more years in Japan, Newman was assigned to the Pentagon as a member of the Support Branch War Plans Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Newman's job consisted mostly of briefing the chiefs on the situation in Vietnam.</p><p>In 1966, Newman was promoted to colonel. Soon after, Newman was selected to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces “to prepare us for senior positions in the Air Force,” Newman said.</p><p>After graduation in 1968, Newman became director of operations of Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, Kan.</p><p>“This was the best job in the Air Force,” Newman said. He was in charge of 36 planes and 5,000 people. “It was such a feeling of accomplishment.”</p><p>Two years later, Newman received orders to return to Vietnam to command a gunship wing. A gunship is an ammunition-laden plane with an extremely accurate sensor system.</p><p>“I finished gunship school, then the Joint Chiefs started to phase down and my orders were canceled,” Newman said.</p><p>Newman became director of operations at Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville and stayed there until he retired in 1973. In his “second career,” Newman taught JROTC at Southern Alamance High School.</p><p>Three decades of decorated service in the U.S. Armed Services, including serving in three separate wars, makes Col. Robert C. Newman Jr. an extraordinary veteran. But, according to Newman, he was just “lucky.”</p><p>Newman and his wife </p><p>often visit the troops at Camp Lejeune to thank them for their service.</p><p>“They are just as motivated as we were,” Newman said. “They are ready to go back for another tour if necessary. They are just as gung-ho.”</p><p>But Newman sees a stark difference in the wars the servicemen and women are fighting today.</p><p>“This is a war that is far different from anything that we'd ever been involved in,” Newman said. “The roadside bombs maiming and killing hundreds – it's a no-win situation.”</p><p>Community News: 343-2364</p>